


amidst the chaos

by mynameisbirdie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, but not really bc this is kind of irrelevant after that hUG, ffh speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-14 18:46:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18953614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mynameisbirdie/pseuds/mynameisbirdie
Summary: After everything, Peter finds MJ on their last night in the hostel.





	amidst the chaos

**Author's Note:**

> [international trailer and general FFH spoilers]
> 
> big thanks to @Quiet_Constellation for betaing this for me! title is from sara bareilles' song "orpheus," as the lyrics wouldn't get out of my head as i was writing this.

Once it's all over, after Mysterio betrays Peter and they have it out in the middle of London, when Peter discovers his gauntlets are controlling the Elementals (what _is_ it with bad guys and their freaking _gauntlets_ these days?); after Peter has managed to disarm him, and MJ destroys the gauntlets with her morning star; after Nick Fury and Agent Hill have taken Quentin Beck into custody; after it all, Peter finds MJ on their last night in the hostel.

She's sitting alone, under a lamp set in the corner of the room, reading. In any other circumstance, this wouldn't be out of the norm. But tonight, she had faced up against a powerful illusionist mastermind with him, and they'd _won_. He would be lying if he said he didn't want to be more than just friends with MJ, but when he's looking at her in the low light of the evening after all of the chaos of the day, he is so proud to be her friend.

She hadn't managed to get out of the fight unscathed - her left wrist is now wrapped from a slight sprain and she has a few cuts and bruises, ones Peter will probably find himself feeling guilty over until they're gone. He knows she would give him hell for it, so he doesn’t say anything. If he's learned anything from this trip, it's that Michelle Jones knows him. So when he's sneaking back into the hostel, long after everyone else has retired to their rooms, she notices - _of course she does_ \- and calls out to him.

"Hey, dork. Are you gonna keep lurking in the shadows, or are you going to come talk to me like a normal human being?"

He sheepishly steps forward farther into the light, and he must be looking pretty bad because MJ glances up and her eyes widen slightly before she shuts her book and crosses the room to him. "Shit, are you okay?" She asks, ghosting her good hand over his face where he can feel a nasty bruise forming.

He winces a little, but manages to give her a small smile. "Shouldn't I be asking you the same question?" He nods towards her wrapped wrist. She rolls her eyes at him and moves to help him towards the couch in the main living area.

"It's just a sprained wrist and a few cuts and bruises, so don't go all Superhero Complex on me. You tried at every chance to get me to go.” When he doesn't respond, still looking guiltily down at his feet, she gives him a look. “Seriously, Peter. I make my own decisions. I’m not some damsel in distress. None of this,” she waves her wrapped arm around, “is your fault." He lets out a semi-relieved sigh - she's right. MJ wouldn't have done anything she hadn't wanted to do. And she _did_ save him.

They make it to the couch, and both of them sink into the cushions from sheer exhaustion. He rests his head back to look at the ceiling, feeling the couch shift as MJ lies next to him. In the silence his hand finds hers, and he whispers, "You were amazing today. Stupid, maybe. Reckless, definitely. But also amazing." He turns his head to look at her, but she's staring off into the openness of the room, an etch of a tired smile on her face.

"Yeah, well," she’s still smiling as she turns her head to the side, looking back at him, "you're one to talk about being stupid and reckless, Spider-Boy." He can't argue with her there, so he chuckles and they both sit quietly, hand in hand.

Holding her hand now is...everything. He had come so close in the theater in Prague. They had playfully shared the arm rest then, his pinky barely managing to find hers in the dark, only for the lights to come on at the last second. He’d been so close, and then again on the bridge, right before she'd dropped the ‘ _I-know-you’re-Spider-Man_ ’ bomb.

His breath hitches.

There had been too many close calls during this trip, too many times when Peter was so sure that he was going to get his friends hurt, or worse. He couldn't even begin to fathom the thought of losing anyone else - _he had lost too many already_ \- but now, after all of the narrow escapes and that harrowing fight, after he'd tried so damn hard to get her to just go, be safe, and she had completely ignored him...

He sighs. The weight of her hand in his own is a comfort he doesn't think she could even begin to understand.

Or maybe she does, because she gives his hand a squeeze before slowly lacing their fingers together, and he hears the rustling of her shifting next to him. "You think too loud."

Peter turns his head to look at her - she's sitting up now, leaning her shoulder against the back of the couch, watching him with a crease in her brow, her eyes squinting slightly. Observing. Because even though he was oblivious for years, even after all this time, it's Michelle Jones who probably knows him better than almost anyone.

When their eyes meet, he feels a smile bloom on his face and it doesn't take long for her to reflect one back at him. It's small, soft - different from the tight, somewhat awkward one she normally has, where an edge of sarcasm has always managed to creep into it; different from the wide grin she'd given him in Venice just before HydroMan (as Ned had taken to calling him) had risen from the Grand Canal. For a moment, Peter lets himself hope that this smile might be just for him.

He sits up slowly, moving to face her as she's facing him, and even now, after they have literally fought and defeated an evil sorcerer together, he feels himself getting just as nervous as he was on the bridge. He looks down at their hands, decidedly not meeting her eyes.

“MJ, I-I mean, I hope you know this already, and I'd be shocked if you didn't because you're just that smart and I haven't exactly been trying to hide it - you of all people know how well I can keep a secret and you've said it yourself before, you're a very observant person, but I've been trying to tell you this the entire time we've been on this trip, and --”

He cuts himself off as his free hand picks nervously at his jeans, and he's sure the one holding hers is probably sweating profusely. Listening to himself, he knows how awkward he sounds, and his ears grow warmer as he tries to just push through this confession. He'd half expected her to interrupt him again, like she had on the bridge. But this time, he thinks, maybe she wants to hear this from him. So she waits, quiet, expecting, for him to finally say what he's been trying to tell her since that night in Prague.

“I really, _really_ like you.”

He chances a look up at her to find her smirking, one eyebrow raised in amusement. “I mean, I would hope so. Why would I still be holding your clammy hand, Parker?”

Peter balks at that, pulling his hand away instantly and wiping it on his jeans in a rather ungraceful manner. “Geez, why didn't you tell me sooner?”

Between her own laughter, she manages to get out, “Oh my god, you dork, I was messing with you,” as she grabs his hand again, putting it between both of her own. “You make it way too easy.”

He's grateful for the warmth of her hands on his again, and his heart gives a little flip in his chest as he lets out a nervous laugh. “So, I'm guessing that means you like me, too? Right?” He adds, a hopeful lilt catching in his voice.

She lets out a heavy, exaggerated sigh, looking off towards the table where she'd placed her book. “Yeah, I guess so.”

If it were anyone else, Peter would feel discouraged by their lack of enthusiasm. But as much as Michelle Jones knows him, he knows her, too. He smiles. “So maybe, when we get back to New York we could go out on a proper date? You know, instead of one that ends with me running off to fight a giant fire elemental.”

“Yeah, or one where I don't get stood up at a carnival for an hour?”

“I've already apologized for that so many times! I'm sorry!” And now she's laughing at him again, a real, guttural laugh that takes his breath away for a moment. She even snorts a couple of times, and _wow, that may just be the cutest thing he's ever seen_ , but then her eyes catch his and her smile drops off as she squints at him in a playful glare.

“Stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop looking at me like I hung the moon for you. Or you know, something else just as cliche and sappy,” she says, waving a hand in a dismissive manner.

“Sorry, this is just how I look.”

“It is not. You've got those dopey eyes of yours trained on me. It’s weird, dude.”

He feels a smile spread across his face that MJ would probably refer to as 'dopey.' “You’re going to have to get used to it.”

“Gross,” she deadpans, but there's a slight uplift to the corner of her mouth that catches Peter's eye, one he recognizes as fondness. They sit there for a few moments in silence, just the two of them, before Peter feels goosebumps rising on his arms and hears shuffling coming from one of the rooms.

“Someone's up. We should probably go to our rooms before they see us out here.” He mutters, his tone regretful. He'd much rather stay in this little bubble with MJ, reveling in the fact that she likes him, they like each other, _holy shit is this even real?_ It's a legitimate question in his mind, due to the past couple of weeks, but before he can contemplate it too much she's rising from the couch and grabbing her book, giving his hand a tug with her own. She doesn't let go.

He follows her as she leads them to the hallway to head to their respective rooms - and god, Peter really hopes that Ned is asleep. He loves his best friend, but he's not ready to share this with anyone just yet. He wants to live in this feeling for just a little while longer, knowing that after it all the girl who made her way into his heart with her quick wit, wry smirk, and unrivaled passion _likes him, too._

MJ brings him out of his reverie by stopping in the middle of the hallway and giving his hand a squeeze. He looks up to her face, and there it is again - that smile. _His_ smile.

“Well, I-I guess we should, you know, go to bed,” he says hesitantly, hoping that she'll have a reason to disagree.

She gives a little nod. “Yeah, we have a long flight tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Peter looks at their hands, running his thumb across the back of her knuckles once, twice, just to test the waters. He can't be sure, but he thinks he feels her shiver just slightly under his touch, and it makes something in his chest swell with anticipation.

When he looks back to MJ, she's staring at him expectantly, an amused yet somewhat nervous smile playing at her lips. She raises an eyebrow at him. “Peter?”

“Hm?” he practically squeaks.

“Were you planning on kissing me anytime soon, or-?”

Peter inhales quickly, completely caught off guard by her brazenness. But then again, isn't that just MJ? Straight to the point, no holds barred. He so admires that about her. When he lets out the breath he's been holding, there's a smile on his face. “Y-yeah, I mean, if you want me to - like right, um, right now?”

She tilts her head at him, lets out a short laugh and looks down, using the free hand that's not (still) in his to tuck her hair behind her ear. The whole movement is almost bashful, and Peter can't help the twinge of hope that he'll still have this ability to undo her as much as she does him in the coming future, whatever it may hold for them.

“That's kind of why I was asking you, dork,” she says, swinging his hand a little. He grins as he steps forward, barely inches from her now, and mumbles a soft “yeah, okay” as he tilts his head up just slightly to bring his lips to hers.

And if Peter thought holding MJ's hand was everything, it's nothing compared to kissing her. He had thought about this in passing a few times since they'd all become closer, and now he knows that no fantasy or illusion could compare to the smell of lavender in the hair that surrounds her face, the warmth of her breath as it ghosts across his cheek, the softness of her skin beneath his thumb as he cradles her face in his hand. He's smiling into her lips, and slowly he feels a corner of hers lift, too, and it's soft and a little tentative and then they're both pulling apart and MJ is biting her lip as Peter just stares at her, completely dumbfounded by the fact that _I just kissed MJ, that just happened._

He opens his mouth to say something, but before he has the chance to MJ must hear something - his senses are still completely distracted by only her - and she startles. MJ grabs his hand and drags him away from the doorway, into the dark of the hallway where they can't be seen.

“Wow, talk about timing,” she whispers, annoyance settling into her tone. When she looks at him he's sure he must look like a total idiot - he still can't stop staring at her with that dopey grin on his face. She snorts softly at seeing him, and playfully nudges his side as she asks, “what?”

“I just kissed you.”

“Yes.”

“We kissed.”

“Yes, Peter. I was there.”

“I think I'm gonna want to do it again. A lot.”

“Mmm, I'm sure that can be arranged, but probably not right now.” Peter pouts, causing MJ to cover her mouth to muffle a laugh. His pout doesn't last long after seeing her smile, and she rolls her eyes at him. “Okay, seriously, we need to go to bed, before Mr. Harrington comes out here and starts talking about his ex-wife again.” she says. He laughs, and it's that moment that she chooses to lean down to kiss his cheek.

“Goodnight, Peter,” she whispers, leaving him a little dazed. His hand comes up to touch his cheek, and he lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

MJ turns to head towards her room, finally letting go of his hand, but Peter snaps out of his daze in time to grab her arm. “Wait - sit with me on the plane tomorrow?”

She smirks and gives him a nod. “Okay” she says, but her tone sounds more like 'duh.’ And he knows that she means it fondly, if her answering smile is anything to go by. He lets go of her arm before he does something completely stupid and embarrassing, like kiss her hand, and watches as she retreats back into her hotel room. MJ turns to give him one last glance, and he swears he sees it again - _his_ smile - before she goes inside and shuts the door behind her.

Once she's securely in her room, and he's sure no one else has emerged from theirs, he heads to his own. He can hear Ned snoring loudly before he even opens the door, and in normal circumstances, maybe something like that would have irritated him - it's hard to sleep when your roommate sounds like a congested walrus half the time - but tonight, he can't be bothered. Tonight, he told the girl he really liked how he felt, and she felt the same way. After everything, they finally got to have their moment, just the two of them. The one he had been trying to have with her since Prague. The one that had made him even come on this trip in the first place.

After everything, it was MJ.

As Peter lays down to try and get some rest, he notices his phone light up with a notification.

**MJ**  
_for the record, i think I'm going to want to kiss you a lot more, too._

Peter has to hold back his giddy laughter upon seeing her message. He quickly types out a reply: _oh? well that's a relief! maybe we can come up with some sort of arrangement._ He briefly debates about sending a winking emoji before deciding that if she still wanted to kiss him after learning about his horrible texting and emoji habits then there's no reason why it should deter her now; the emoji is sent.

Her reply is quick.

**MJ**  
_nevermind. i take it all back._

Peter laughs softly to himself and sends back three crying emojis just to annoy her further, and moments later she's responded with _deeper and deeper you dig with every emoji you send, dude._

And maybe if he hadn't just kissed her moments ago, he wouldn't be so bold to say _you love it._ But he did, and so he does.

All she says back is _hm. we'll see._ He can't help it - his heart swells. Peter takes a moment to catch himself, though; it's too soon to even be thinking about that word. _Right?_

He shakes his head, ridding himself of his vastly premature thoughts, and sends a quick “ _goodnight, MJ <3_” to her before preparing to put his phone away for the night. Just as he’s about to turn over, his phone screen lights up with another notification.

**MJ**  
_that is more acceptable._

And just because he's hopeful, he waits a couple more moments before getting one last reply:

**MJ**  
_goodnight, nerd <3_

Yeah, Ned is lucky; there's no way Peter is getting any sleep tonight anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> i don't even know what this is. something that wouldn't leave me alone, i guess. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> i know it's not totally consistent with everything we know about the movie so far (*cough cough* that HUG *cough cough*), but i wrote it in the process of a lot of that being released and tried to incorporate what i could where it worked. i figured there's no harm in posting anyway!
> 
> this is my first for these two, though i've been lurking in the fandom for the better part of two years, so we'll see if i churn anything else out. i am very good at not finishing things, ha.
> 
> thanks so much for reading! come find me yelling about these two (like, a lot) on twitter @thebirdisanerd!


End file.
